LATEST NEWS August 2021
The Beaubec dig residency
I spent the whole of July in Beamore, just South of Drogheda, as an artist in residence on the archaeological excavation of a 13th century Cistercian grange, a monastic medieval farm with connections to France. I decided to take the opportunity to work on drawings using archaeological soils and consider how the role of touch in excavating is a key sense in bringing the invisible traces buried in the past to light. The project will continue beyond the residency and is called Touching time.
Further information about this research excavation carried out by Matthew and Geraldine Stout with help from volunteers and specialists, supported by the landowners John and Grace McCullen and sponsored by FBD insurance can be found on the site blog here. You can also listen to me being interviewed about art and archaeology with Neil Jackman on an amplify archaeology podcast, here.
Road Take
I’ve also recently made a related post about the physical experience of working as an archaeologist on a road scheme for almost a year in 2018.
Road Take can be viewed here.
About My Work
Welcome, this website is an introduction to some of the themes of my research and projects I have been involved with. Most of my projects are long term and presented here in blog form.
I have extensive experience in both visual art and archaeology, having had parallel and interweaving careers in both professions since the 1990s. Through these investigations I have developed a transdisciplinary practice, using methods from both fields to interpret landscape change in a variety of contexts. These range from artists residences to community archaeology projects, from archaeological excavations to independent and collaborative research projects. I also work as an archaeological photographer specialising in artefacts, with illustrations in over 30 books, numerous journals and reports and a government issue stamp (see here for details of this kind of work).
My current research interests lie in devising inter and transdisciplinary methodologies to study and interpret landscapes that are undergoing substantive change. This work draws on theories of deep mapping to develop a holistic approach to cultural landscapes in their biophysical settings, to provide novel ways of narrating geographies about spaces and places that may well be contested.
In 2015 I completed a doctoral research project (title:- In Flux; Land, Photography and Temporality) at Northampton University (2011-2015). Prior to this, I studied an M. A. in Documentary Photography at The Centre for Photographic Research, University of Wales, Newport (2005 – 2007). My academic studies began at the University of Sunderland, with Fine Art (Sculpture and Photography) B.A.(Hons) graduating in 1991.
Artworks are available to purchase, most can be printed to order within specific requirements, contact me for further details.
All text and images on this website © John Sunderland. All rights reserved
